As a “Remain” voter, making the best of this Brexit situation means negotiating a deal with the EU which leaves the U.K. as a member State in all but name. But with Theresa May seemingly going for a “hard” Brexit, this doesn’t look likely — at least at this point in time.

So if we’re stuck with a hard or at least non-“soft” Brexit, what should we do? We should look not to the U.S. or trade agreements with other countries for a solution, but instead no further than Scotland.

If another independence referendum is held, Scots may want independence so that Scotland can rejoin the EU or negotiate a deal which would award it de facto EU membership.

Beyond the triumphalism of the British mainstream media, beneath the jubilation of the London politicians, the last rites of “Britishness” may be taking place. The percentage margin of victory for the pro-British Union in the Scottish independence referendum belies any notion of a comfortably united British, so-called “United Kingdom.”

Scots were clearly galvanised to the tune of a remarkable 84% electoral turnout. This numerically translated as 3,619,915 votes being validly cast. Of these 2,001,926 were cast to remain in the United Kingdom, that is, to remain part of the British state. While 1,617,989 wanted complete autonomy and separation from the Kingdom.

What separated victory for the Union and with it the complete cessation of the state we continue to refer as “British” were 191,969 votes – or 5.3% of the voting electorate. A United Kingdom without Scotland, that is, a Great Britain without Scotland would have found it very difficult to continue referring itself as “British.”